Nancy Argenziano to run for Congress...As a Democrat

Former State Senator Nancy Argenziano announced yesterday she is going to run for Congress against Steve Southerland. The twist? The former Republican, now registered Independent, will run as a Democrat. Nancy has made waves for years, known as a fiesty legislator who often bucked her own party. She says the Republican party has left her and that's why she will run as a Democrat. Check out this article from Fresh Squeezed Politics:

Argenziano says she’ll run for Congress as a Democrat
Posted Aug 1, 2011 by William March

Updated Aug 1, 2011 at 05:07 PM

Former Republican state senator and Public Service Commission Chairman Nancy Argenziano, long a maverick in the GOP, says she’s changing parties to run for Congress as a Democrat.

Argenziano said in an interview today she’ll seek the seat current held by Republican Steve Southerland, who unseated veteran Democrat Allen Boyd of Monticello in 2011.

“The Republican Party left me,” said Argenziano, who has a long history of bucking the GOP with stands for environmental and consumer protection and against what she says is excessive corporate influence.

Formerly from Crystal River, Argenziano said she has lived full time in Tallahassee for several years.

Former Gov. Charlie Crist appointed her to the Public Service Commission, but in 2010, a nominating council controlled by the state Legislature, dominated by conservative Republicans who clashed with Crist, refused to nominate her for a second term. She resigned and announced she would work for Democratic nominee Alex Sink, who lost to Rick Scott in the governor’s race.

What “tipped the tables” for her was a recent congressional vote to weaken federal water pollution standards, she said. The legislation, passed by the House with Southerland voting in favor, would prevent federal environmental regulators from tightening pollutant limits or banning discharges without the state’s consent.

‘I’m the water lady—that’s what started my political career,” said Argenziano, who was heavily involved as a legislator in water use controversies in the northern Tampa Bay area. “You can be conservative and still respect the earth, the one place we have to live on.”